Field
This invention relates generally to medical fluid systems, and specifically to systems for providing IV fluid to patients.
Related Art
In a typical hospital setting, when a patient is in need of intravenous fluid therapy, a healthcare practitioner: (i) obtains a pre-filled IV bag that has a large port with a flexible septum; (ii) wipes an antiseptic pad across the septum; and (iii) pierces the septum of the bag with a large, hollow spike. The septum forms a seal around the spike. The spike is connected to empty medical tubing, which in turn may be connected to a fluid connector.
The medical tubing is configured to convey medical fluid from the IV bag to the patient; however, before the tubing can be connected in fluid communication with the patient, it must be “primed” with liquid to avoid introducing air or vapors from the liquid into the patient's vasculature, which could be very harmful. To prime the tubing, the healthcare practitioner positions the IV bag at a higher location than the tubing, and sometimes squeezes the IV bag, permitting gravity and liquid pressure to drive the liquid in the IV bag downward in a column through the tubing, pushing the air and vapors in the tubing out the bottom end of the tubing. When the column of liquid reaches the bottom end of the tubing, a small amount of liquid is typically permitted to drip out of the end of the tubing, or out of the end of a connector attached to the end of the tubing, into a trashcan or sink, to ensure that no residual air or vapors remain in the fluid line.
The process of spiking the IV bag and priming the fluid line requires significant time and attention from the healthcare practitioner at the patient care site, and also requires that multiple components be inventoried at the patient care site. In addition, there are many inherent disadvantages with the bag-spiking process. The tip of the spike is sharp and can inadvertently puncture the healthcare provider or patient. The spike or the septum of the spike port can carry microbes, if not properly disinfected, that may be introduced into the IV fluid when attached. The connection between the spike and spike port may leak if connected improperly. Also, the priming process can permit a small amount of vapors and liquid to escape, which can be dangerous, especially if the liquid is potential harmful, such as chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs.
Moreover, in many healthcare treatment settings, a large number of IV bags need to be filled with customized amounts and types of drugs on a daily basis for many different patients. If performed manually, this repetitive task is susceptible to mistakes by healthcare technicians. It can also continuously expose healthcare technicians to harmful medicinal vapors, and it can be a physically difficult chore for a healthcare technician, especially when using a large-diameter filling syringe in which the syringe plunger is especially wide and hard to push forward and back.